Wind-operated sign



March 9 ,1926.

J. l. MORELAND WIND OPERATED SIGN Filed Sept.

Zlnuwnfoz I. Mareza 71d,

.N 825% mom z opatkoz nu;

Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

] UNITED STATES JESSE I. MORELAND, OF DODD CITY, TEXAS.

WIND-OPERATED SIGN.

Application filed September 25, 1824. Serial No. 739,898.

To all wiumi it. may concern:

Be It known that. I, Jnssn ll. lilonnnanu,

P a citizen of the United States, residing at Doddv City, in the. county of, Fannin and Stateof Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vind-Operated Signs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andnse the same.

This invention relates to a sign adapted to be rotated by the wind and primarily for use along roads or the like.

An important object is to provide a construction wherein the inoving parts work with minimum friction and are driven by the wind, particularly having a driving connection whereby the wind will not operate the advertising drum or sign proper at an undue speed.

Another object is to provide a construction utilizing a weather vane which serves to point into the wind a wind-driven operating means.

Still another object is to provide a con struction wherein portions of the sign may be read from opposite sides thereof.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view of the device in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a front and View;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4: is a vertical sectional view taken on the line ll of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the device is adapted to be disposed alongside of a road or in any other conspicuous position desired as it is usually adapted for advertising purposes. The operating parts may be mounted on a pole or standard 10 which may have a metal cap 11 thereon. Mounted by the standard is a U-shaped frame 12 having a lower arm 13 and side arms 14. Suitably fastened to the lower arm and centrally thereof {is a beairing plate 14 which rests on the cap or bearing plate 11. A removable stud 15 is secured in the upper end of standard 10 and passes through the arm 13 and plate l i and such plate 146 and arm are swivelled on this stud. The bearing plates 11 and 1 1* have coacting grooves as shown which form a race forball hearings or other anti-friction means as at 16.

Any equivalent swivel means for the operatin parts may be substituted.

At the top of the arms lei and riveted or bolted thereto as=at 17 is-a relatively long plate 18 which forms and is shaped like a 7 weather vane so as to point the device into the wind. The for ard end or point per tions of the weather vane has a triangular slot as at 19.

A sign, advertising cylinder or drum is provided as at 20. This element essentially comprises a hollow cylinder of light weight sheet metal so as toof er little resistance to the rind and the elements having spokes or the like 21 at each end radiating from hub as at 2-2. Said hubs 22 have conical seats 23 and the conical heads 24 have stub shafts 25. In-order to reduce friction, the surfaces 23 and 24 may have race ways 26 or balls or other anti-friction bearings as at 27. Stub shafts 25 are in the form of screws adjustably mounted in blocks 29 carried by the arms 14. Stub shafts 24; also have heads as at 30 for engagement by a wrench or the like in order to adjust them and also have lock nuts 31 mounted thereon to bind against the blocks 29.

The outer surface of the drum 20 is subdivided into longitudinally extending panels or spaces as at 33, and the advertising matter of the alternate spaces is reversed as shownso that when the cylinder or drum 20 rotates, the alternate panels or advertising portions may be observed and read or understood from opposite sides of the sign. The reverse arrangement also serves to set off the different panels at each side so as to avoid confusion between them or the reading of adjacent panels simultaneously and improperly.

At the front of the device the wind wheel 35 is provided which may be of any desired construction, that shown being conventional, and also relatively small in size as compared with the drum, to the end that the drum will be rotated slowly. Wind wheel 35 is rigid with and rotates a short shaft 36 journaled in suitable bearings 37 on the arm 13. At the inner "end of shaft 36, a relatively small pulley 38 is fixed and drives an end less belt as at 39. This belt may be of any suitable material but preferably is of metal, endless, and of coil spring formation so that its tension will assist in holding it in place and at the proper pressure. The belt 39 surrounds the drum adjacent the front end thereof.

The device in finished form, will be approximately ornamented and finished. Tfhen installed, the vane 18 which itself forms part of the advertisement, being; subject to the wind, will always point the device into the wind and thus the wheel will be driven by the wind, thui? driving shaft 36, pulley 3S, belt 39 and the drum As the drum Q0 revolves, its advertising panels alternately and successively come into view for reading or observation b the public on each side or the drum. In addition the drum is subject to turning on the stud 15 as an axis due to the subjection the vane 18 to the wind. The turning of the de ice is free a .d easy since friction has been reduced to the in in i m um.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

hat is claimed is 1. An advertising device comprisin an upstanding U-shapcd frame mounted fo 1 rotation in a horizontal plane, a vane secured to the side arms of said frame, a drum journaled on. said arn'is, an operatine shaft journaled on said frame, a wind wheel secured to said shaft, and a belt trained on said drum and shaft.

An advertising device con'iprising' an upstanding U-shaped frame mounted for rotation in a horizontal .plane, a vane secured to the upper ends of the side arms of the frame, an advertising device mounted for rotation between said side arms, an operating shaft journaled on said frame, a Wind wheel secured to said shaft, and a driving connection between said shaft and the advertising device. I S. An advertising device comprising an upstanding U-shaped frame, means to mount said frame for rotation on a vertical axis, a vane secured to the upper ends of the side arms of the frame, a cylinder adapted to carry advertising matter mounted for ro tation on the arms of said frame and having a belt groove in its outer surface, a shaft mounted for rotation on said frame. a pulley on said shaft, a belt trained on said pulley and in the belt groove aforesaid, and a wind wheel secured to the shaft.

in advertisingdevice of the class described comprising an upstanding substan-.

tially U-shaped frame adapted to be swivelled, a vane connecting the free ends of said frame and forming one side for the space thereof, a sign drum disposed in the space of said frame, stub shafts adjustal'ily n'iounted by the frame, said drum having hubs at its ends journaled on said stub shafts, said drum having a groove about its periphery, a belt engaged in said ,e'roove, a shaft journaled on said frame, a pulley on said shaft over which said belt is trained, and a wind wheel operable to drive said shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

JESSE I. MOREDAND. 

